THANK YOU
Leicestershire Chamber of Commerce would like to thank all of its members for their continued support throughout 2006, we wish you a wonderful Christmas and New Year and look forward to helping you achieve a prosperous and successful 2007.
ACCESS CHAMBER BENEFITS THROUGH OUR WEBSITE
As a member of the Leicestershire Chamber of Commerce don’t forget that you can access the members’ only section of the chamber website, with its memorable address of www.chamberofcommerce.co.uk , by using your membership number. This privileged area allows access to:
- Contact numbers for the members’ only advice lines for legal issues and the HR Helpline
- The Chamber HR website including information booklets and standard templates on human resource, tax & legal issues
- A list of over 50 fellow Chamber members in the Member-to-Member Services section, each of whom offer a discount or special offer to other Chamber members including discounts at several health & leisure clubs
- Chamber Fleet Assist with heavily discounted access to AA membership
- An archive of Chamber News magazines and press releases
- More in-depth detail on many of the services which the Chamber offers including access to an online energy audit, discounted business and personal travel, discounted access to financial services and healthcare schemes, discounts and help with telecommunications.
Remember that most of the benefits of membership listed on our website are available to all members of staff in any company who is a member of the Chamber of Commerce. If you want any other people in your company to receive the monthly Good Morning Leicestershire email then let us know their details and we will keep them informed as to how they can best access all of the benefits of membership of the Leicestershire Chamber of Commerce.
If you are unsure of your Chamber of Commerce membership number then this can normally be found on your annual membership certificate which is sent out to you upon payment of your annual subscription. Alternatively you can call the Chamber on 0116 247 1800 and any of our team will be happy to let you know your membership number.
IS YOUR TELECOMS SUPPLIER OFFERING YOU BEST VALUE?
Book a free voice and data audit and see how much value Chamber Communications™ can add to your business.
Whether you’re using landline, mobile, fax, email or internet, Chamber Telecoms™ has a quality solution guaranteed to reduce your overheads.
We will connect cost and quality (from a tier one national telecoms carrier) to make sure that your business communicates for less without compromising on service.
Call today to reap the benefits of:
- Free voice and data communications audit – identify possible savings and opportunities to advance your technology
- Lower line and call costs
- Fax 2 Email services – get rid of your old fax and line!
- Automated Call Barring (Telephone Preference Service) – keep on the right side of the law and avoid a £5,000 fine
- Call tracking services – giving you maximum management information
- Non geographic numbers 0800/0870/0845 services
- Mobile phone savings
- VOIP technology and video conferencing
- Internet solutions
Email: info2@chambercommunications.co.uk or call 0845 120 2422 to book your free communications audit
SEEKING NOMINATIONS
Following the great success and popularity of the Leicestershire Women of Achievement Awards earlier this year plans are now well underway for the 2007 event. The success of women in our society has often gone unrecognised and these awards were originally created to capture the achievements of women from all walks of life throughout Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland.
Leicestershire Chamber of Commerce, who are organising the 2007 Women of Achievement Awards, are encouraging local businesses to get involved and support the awards by nominating family, friends or colleagues as appropriate for one or more of the following award categories:
- Business Woman of the Year
- Woman in the Community
- Woman of the Year
- Young Achiever of the Year
- Rural Business Woman of the Year
- Woman with Determination
For more details contact Headstorm Marketing on Tel: 0870 170 9697 or email: woaawards@headstorm.co.uk. The deadline for receipt of nominations is January 5th 2007.
TRAINING PROVIDER WANTS YOUR VIEWS
S4B, the commercial training arm of Leicester Collegeand the training partner of Leicestershire Chamber of Commerce, is seeking opinions from Leicestershire businesses on what types of courses and training they would be interested in.Both S4B and the Leicestershire Chamber are continually looking to ensure that the courses on offer are relevant to business needs.
If you would like to offer your constructive comments on this matter then please click here and complete the short survey. Completed forms should be faxed or emailed to S4B, details can be found on the form.
To find out about existing training opportunities please call S4B on Tel: 0116 229 5555 or email: s4b@leicestercollege.ac.uk
COMPANIES GIVEN CHANCE TO WIN MAJOR eBUSINESS PRIZE
Leicestershire companies could be in with the chance to win up to £15,000 in a competition designed to discover the top IT performers in the region.
The East Midlands eBusiness Awards are part of a region-wide initiative aimed at helping companies improve their performance through the innovative use of information communications technology and eBusiness techniques.
Open to small and medium-sized business, firms will compete for five separate categories with each winner receiving a £5,000 cash prize, plus a trophy and lots of free publicity when the Ebusiness Awards presentation evening and gala dinner takes place on February 22nd at the East Midlands Conference Centre.
Funded by the East Midlands Development Agency (emda) and supported by Business Link, the awards are being organised and managed by the East Midlands Chambers of Commerce through their eBusiness club programme.
For more details visit www.ebusinessclub.biz/awards
The closing date for entries is January 19th 2007.
QDOS CONSULTING: KEEPING YOU UP TO DATE
Membership of the Leicestershire Chamber of Commerce entitles you to access the website and helplines of QDOS Consulting where you can get accurate, up to date information on all employment law and legislation matters – completely free of charge.
For more information visit www.chamberhr.co.uk
INFLEXIBLE WORK BECKONS AS WORKERS' JOINTS STIFFEN
The legislation outlawing age discrimination in the workplace which recently came into force has been welcomed by Work Wise UK, the campaign to promote smarter working.
With an increasingly ageing population, UK businesses are going to have to rely more and more upon the services of more mature staff. ESPON, the EU's monitoring organisation, recently revealed the extent of Europe's population trend with fertility rates in every single European country now falling below the population replacement rate. Although immigration will go some way to mitigate the effects on population, the whole of Europe faces an ageing workforce, and over time, staff and skills shortages.
UK businesses will face an increasingly competitive recruitment market and will have to do far more to attract and retain staff. Government, employers' organisations and trade unions are agreed that adopting smarter working practices, such as home working, flexible, remote and mobile working, will enable businesses to provide a more appealing working environment and also a more productive one.
Phil Flaxton, Chief Executive of Work Wise UK, said: "Employers will have to adapt their working practices to fit with their ageing workforce. Actually, working 9 to 5, five days a week, at a central location is a bit of an anachronism. It is only culture which dictates this rigid work structure and is largely unnecessary – Work Wise UK aims to break down these traditions, which will not only benefit maturing workers, but all workers."
The adoption of smarter working practices has a number of other benefits, such as reducing the need for travel and introducing flexibility into when travel is necessary, which smoothes out the excesses of rush hours in terms of traffic and public transport overcrowding, and also reduces transport-related pollution and CO2 emissions.
Phil Flaxton added: "The UK is entering a period of significant change – what we are calling the second industrial revolution. This is not directly related to technological change, as the first Industrial Revolution was, although technology is certainly at the heart of it, but through a fundamental change in working practices and culture."
Further information about Work Wise UK can be found at www.workwiseuk.org.
MELTON & RUTLAND AREA LUNCHEON
Date: 19 January
Venue: Scalford Hall, Melton Mowbray
Time: 12 noon- 2pm
Cost: £25 includes buffet meal
This networking lunch with special guest Alan Duncan MP gives local companies the chance to raise any issues of concern to the business community with a local Member of Parliament.
THE NEW SEASON: TOUR OF SELFRIDGES
Date: 23 January
Venue: Selfridges Store, Birmingham
Time: 2pm- 8pm
Cost: £22.50 includes buffet lunch and wine but not travel
Integra, the Chamber's association of women in business, is hosting this excellent networking opportunity along with a behind-the-scenes tour of the impressive recently-built Selfridges store.
NETWORKING EVENING WITH STURGESS VOLVO
Date: 25 January
Venue: Sturgess Volvo, Almond Road, Leicester
Time: 6pm- 8.30pm
Cost: £25 Chamber Members, £35 Standard
Place only, no display stand (inc. VAT)
£55 Chamber Members, £65 Standard.
Place & Space for display stand (inc. VAT)
Hosted by Sturgess Volvo this event gives attendees an opportunity to reserve space for an exhibition stand, network and exchange company literature with fellow guests over a glass of wine.
WOMEN OF ACHIEVEMENT AWARDS
Date: 2 March
Venue: Leicester City Football Club, Leicester
Time: 7pm – midnight
Cost: £50 per person / £470 per table of ten
Discounted rates for community & women's groups
Celebrate the success of women in Leicestershire at this gala award evening with guest speakers Suzi Quatro and Kay Alexander.
For more information on these events please call Kam Atker on Tel: 0116 204 6614 or alternatively visit the Chamber website for details of other forthcoming events at: www.chamberofcommmerce.co.uk and select What's On/events
PICK UP THE PACE TO WIN NEW BUSINESS CONTRACTS
If you find the whole idea of tendering for new business a complex and confusing process and you need support to help you win more business contracts then join up with a winning team and look no further than Business Builder's "How to Tender" training courses.
These unique training courses have been developed with businesses like yours in mind, to give you the expert advice and specialist support you need to race ahead of the competition and successfully win new business contracts. They take the legwork out of tendering and help you through the entire process from start to finish.
Business Builder are holding a series of popular "How to Tender’ training courses to help you understand the public and utility sector tendering process and how your business can win valuable new contracts.
The first set of courses are due to take place in Leicesteron the following dates:
- Course 1 – How to Tender, 23rd January 2007 (9am – 5pm)
- Course 2 – Perfecting your Pre-Quals, 6th February 2007 (9am – 5pm)
- Course 3 – Develop and Write your Bid, 27th February 2007 (9am – 5pm)
Each course costs just £250 + VAT per delegate, or you can book all three courses for only £650 + VAT and save yourself £100!
For further details on the course content please call Martin Hickling on Tel: 0116 2587354, email at: martinh@bizbuild.co.uk or click here
HMRC ENCOURAGES R&D
HMRC is opening a network of seven new specialist R&D tax credit units across the country to make it easier for innovative SMEs to take advantage of R&D tax credits.
SMEs in all sectors can now benefit from improved customer services and a wider range of business-orientated support. The specialist units will conduct more outreach work - visiting companies to help them identify areas of the business that could benefit from R&D tax credits and working with the business to produce high quality applications.
The units will also act as a recognised point of contact for businesses wanting to enquire about R&D tax credits and will be run by HMRC staff who have undergone specialist training. The units are located in Cambridge, Croydon, Leicester, Maidstone, Manchester, Portsmouth and Cardiff- which will act as central hub for dedicated teams of officers covering Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland.
Alongside the launch of the new units, the DTI, in conjunction with HMRC and HM Treasury, have published a brochure of case studies - "R&D tax credits - what's in it for you?" - illustrating companies' experiences of claiming R&D tax credits. Told in the contributor's own words, the studies illustrate a range of firms and projects already receiving R&D tax credits and the relative ease of making a claim. The companies offer their own hints and tips for making successful claims. The British Chambers of Commerce have endorsed the publication as some of its members were approached and featured in the collaboration of the case studies.
Further information on the HMRC new specialist R&D tax credits units is available on line at: http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/randd/special-units.htm and general information on R&D tax credits can be located at: http://www.dti.gov.uk/innovation/randd/randd-tax-credits/page11350.html.
LOUGHBOROUGH LIGHTNING
Do you want to help Leicestershire with its sporting success and gain coverage on Sky TV? Loughborough Lightning netball team are offering a range of sponsorship packages. The team consist of England players and students with direct links to Loughborough University. For more information contact Robin Pointon on Tel: 0116 225 4035 or email: robin.pointon@l-p-l.com
INSTITUTE OF DIRECTORS CERTIFICATE AND DIPLOMA IN COMPANY DIRECTION 2007
The Institute of Directors flexible development programmes are designed by directors for directors, senior executives, entrepreneurs and owner managers. They will equip you with the essential strategic skills, knowledge and understanding to direct your organisation. Comprising a series of individual modules, the Certificate and Diploma in Company Direction provides the route to Chartered Director status. Institute of Director (IoD) programmes use highly focussed material delivered through interactive group work. Contemporary case studies are supported by e-learning. Modules of two and three days provide immediate benefits of readily applicable skills with minimal work disruption and a vital network of like minded people.
For more details contact the Professional and Management Development Centre
Business School at Loughborough University on:
www.lboro.ac.uk/departments/bs/mdc/index.html
Tel: 01509 223140
EARLY GROWTH FUND GETS OFF THE GROUND
A new £5million venture capital fund has been launched by East Midlands Development Agency (emda) and E-Synergy Limited.
Aimed at helping the region's start-up and early stage businesses, the East Midlands Early Growth Fund will address the "equity gap" which restricts young businesses from accessing growth funding. Specifically, it will concentrate on the lower levels of the equity gap, for businesses seeking between £20,000 and £200,000 of finance.
To receive investment, each business must have less than 50 employees and needs to be either a start-up or early stage business. A start-up business is one that has been trading for less than 12 months, or has been trading for less than three years with a turnover below £100,000 per annum. An early-stage business is one that has been trading for between 12 months and three years.
The fund will invest up to £200,000 in start-up businesses (in two stages of £100,000) and somewhat less in early-stage businesses, to give a boost to specific projects such as sales and marketing.
It will invest alongside private investors and will work closely with members of Growth Investment Network East Midlands (GINEM). Every £1 invested by the fund must be matched by at least £1 from a private investor. This will help attract a further £5million of private investment into small businesses in the region creating a total investment fund of £10million.
To find out more about the East Midlands Early Growth Fund and how to apply, contact Sarah Guy at E-Synergy on Tel: 020 7583 3503, email: s.guy@e-synergy.comor visit www.earlygrowthfund-em.co.uk
HMRC'S HAND IN THE TILL
Restaurants and other retail outlets with certain types of computerised tills are being targeted by the taxman for unannounced visits to check on takings, the accountants and business advisers PKF are warning the city’s restaurateurs and retailers.
Andrew Tiplady, Tax Partner at PKF inLeicester, said: "Unannounced visits are not particularly new for the VAT man in the shape of Customs and Excise, but the fact that Revenue staff are also present and that they are altering the operation of the tills to extract audit trails of entries is a new practice.
"While former Customs officers are authorised to make such visits, former Revenue Officers are not. We were previously told that the Revenue would not piggyback on Customs’ powers. This aggressive approach will worry many small businesses."
HMRC knows that certain types of till can be set up to suppress takings so that businesses can evade both VAT and income tax and is sending in specially trained officers to businesses using those tills to extract a full audit trail of the till entries. This can mean that the HMRC officer has to re-programme the till to get the data they have been sent to collect.
Andrew Tiplady said: "We know of at least one case where the alterations made to the computer till were not reversed and have caused the restaurant’s staff problems ever since."
This project, carried out in several areas in the UK, is another example of the risk driven approach that HMRC is now taking to tax investigations. The data collected is to be analysed by HMRC's regional risk centres to identify significant discrepancies between the full records and the till rolls that businesses use to help prepare their tax returns.
Andrew Tiplady commented: "It is understandable for HMRC to sharpen up the targeting of its tax investigations but this should not be allowed to slip over into sharp practices at the taxpayer's premises.
"Law abiding businesses will be worried by these sorts of visit, especially if the business owner is not present or HMRC’s handiwork on the till means it has to be re-programmed. This sort of disruption of businesses is not acceptable and will make it far less likely that taxpayers will cooperate with other HMRC intervention activities."
FREE ICE HOCKEY TICKETS FOR CHAMBER MEMBERS
Cassidy Coventry Blaze Ice Hockey Team of the bmibaby Elite League are extending an invitation to all Leicestershire Chamber of Commerce members to attend their game vs. Cardiff Devils on Sunday January 7th, Face off at 6pm.
The Blaze are looking to offer 4 free tickets to each member company, all you need to do to book is send an e-mail to philandrews@coventryblaze.co.uk or alternatively call Phil Andrews in the Blaze Office on Tel: 02476 223220.
So, a free night out for 4 colleagues or the family, just down the M69 for the price of your petrol. There's no catch, the Blaze just want to introduce as many people in Leicestershire to their closest professional ice hockey team as possible.
EU ENLARGEMENT
Bulgaria & Romania join the EU on 1 January 2007.
Exported goods will be treated under Free Circulation, with major changes in Export Documentation.
EUR 1 movement certificate will no longer be required for shipments to these countries.
There will be a half-day seminar held at Leicestershire Chamber on 26th January 2007 to explain all the relevant changes.
For more information please see our events list on the website at: www.chamberofcommerce.co.uk.
TRAINING COURSES 2007
Researching Export Markets; Your Export Strategy & the Internet; Successful Exhibitions; Export Pricing; Winning Orders Overseas; Language & Culture
East Midlands Chambers of Commerce has introduced a menu of workshops to help small to medium sized companies. The workshops are practical, linking theory to experience, with seasoned exporters and trade professionals as trainers. For further details please contact Julie Whiting or Gillian Porter on Tel: 01246 207207.
JOINT VENTURE PARTNERSHIP - VISIT TO HUNGARY
12-15 February 2007
Hungary is one of the most logical target markets for UK companies interested in establishing business partnerships in central and eastern Europe. UK Trade & Investment, in co-operation with the British Embassy in Budapest, invites companies in the East Midlands to spend 3 days in Budapest getting to know the market, networking with key contacts and meeting potential partners. Those companies who meet the eligibility criteria will also receive a travel grant of up to £500 on a matched funding basis. For further details please contact Elaine Aylen on Tel: 01332 548049 or email: elaine.aylen.ukti@derbyshire.org.
INTERNATIONAL WEB MARKETING
21 February 2007
East Midlands International Trade Association (EMITA) is holding an event designed specifically to help business explore issues around web marketing, planning for e-Business and developing web strategies. The speaker Susan Hallam is Managing Director of Hallam Communications and is a leading provider of internet marketing consultancy and training. This event will be held at the Stage Hotel in Leicester. Free to EMITA members or £25 per delegate. We are expecting a good response for this event so if you would like to attend please send an e-mail to Costa Philippou on: costaphilippou.emita@emd.org.uk or phone on 0115 988 8516 to book your place.
MARKET VISIT TO THE REPUBLIC OF IRELAND
26 –28 February 2007
Fashionwear companies are invited to spend three days getting to know the market, networking with key contacts and meeting potential buyers. For further details please contact Suzy Bolton, UK Trade & Investment, on Tel: 0116 258 7314 or email: sbolton.ukti@blleics.co.uk
TASTE OF BRITAIN II - NORWAY
6 – 8 March 2007
(Food & Drink Sector)
A mini exhibition with over 100 buyers expected to attend. East Midlands Food & Drink companies will get the opportunity to meet with Norwegian buyers. This event is suitable for both retail and food service products. Sectors likely to be of interest to Norwegian buyers are convenience foods, ethnic foods, cheese, bakery, health products and confectionary, including sugar-free sweets. Participation fee is £50.00 plus your travel expenses. For further details please contact Jane Johansen, UK Trade & Investment, on Tel: 01572 574043 or email: jane.johansen.ukti@bllr.co.uk
TRADE VISIT TO SHANGHAI AND NINGBO
12 - 16 March 2007
Shanghai offers very good opportunities for companies in IT, automotive, chemicals and biopharmaceuticals. Rapidly growing sectors also include finance, insurance, transportation, telecommunications, retailing and wholesale. Ningbo is a manufacturing base for automotive, papermaking and textile goods. Companies can spend a week exploring the market and meeting new business contacts.There is also a grant available for eligible companies. For further information on the visit please contact Min He on Tel: 0116 258 7312 or email:MinHe@emd.org.uk
MEET THE FASHION BUYERS
21 March 2007
An event especially aimed at ladies fashionwear companies to enable them to meet a range of overseas retail buyers. Each company will have a mini exhibition stand and a series of short appointments with buyers. This one-day event will take place at the Walkers Stadium in Leicester. For further details please contact Suzy Bolton, UK Trade & Investment, on Tel: 0116 258 7314.